"You'll never run again."

That's what Eric's chiropractor told him. His knees had been through two meniscus surgeries... His back was a mess... Eric was 57 years old at the time.

Today, he's 62 with 22 marathons, 28 half marathons, and 4 ultras completed. His marathon time dropped from 4:04 to 3:04, and his half-marathon went from 1:54 to 1:26.

He's a full-time dentist who figured out how to build an aerobic base, manage back pain, and finally add speedwork without getting hurt. It took him five years to crack the code on speedwork alone. This conversation shows exactly how he did it...

Click HERE to watch the full video.

Here are some of the topics covered:

• ​0:00 – Marathons after 55: Eric’s marathon breakthrough
• ​2:51 – What inspired Eric to start running
• ​6:41 – Starting to run at 55
• ​9:22 – Training for first marathon
• ​14:40 – Lessons, running progress, & fueling mistakes
• ​17:07 – Speedwork approaches
• ​19:22 – Hill sprint strategy & warm-up routine
• ​21:55 – Lawrence van Lingen's impact on Eric’s running
• ​25:37 – Hip-opening exercises & mobility routine
• ​32:15 – Eric's advice to younger self & runners
• ​34:55 – Eric's favorite races
• ​36:26 – Race day nutrition & post-race experience
• ​41:37 – Oral health tips for runners
• ​45:52 – Mental strategies for training & racing
• ​50:05 – Importance of gratitude and journaling
• ​52:53 – How to become a stronger, healthier, and happier athlete

​CLICK HERE to watch this new video.

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Thanks to Function Health for sponsoring this episode! Function Health gives you over 100 biomarkers to understand your health from the inside out. Visit functionhealth.com/FLORIS or use code FLORIS100.

A few quotes from Extramilest Show #110 with Eric Gustavsen:

1. "You need to structure it every day. If you don't want to go out, say to yourself, I'm just going out for 10 minutes. That's all I'm going out for. And then see how I feel after 10 minutes."

Eric uses this simple rule from his friend Bruce to overcome low motivation days. Commit to just 10 minutes. More often than not, those 10 minutes turn into a full run.

2. "Build your endurance, build your aerobic system, and don't get hurt along the way."

After years of injuries, Eric learned that staying healthy matters more than pushing hard all the time. This became his north star.

3. "You have to put in easy miles. At the beginning I thought well do some of this MAF and then I'm going to throw in a little bit speed. I'm going to try and run fast and I kept hurting myself. So honestly it took me probably five years before I could do some speed work without hurting myself."

Eric's biggest lesson took five years to learn. He had to build a massive aerobic base first, strengthen his core and back, and only then could he handle intensity without breaking down.

4. "At the beginning of the race, I am telling myself how fortunate I am to be there because a lot of people through whatever life circumstances would like to be doing this, but they can't."

Starting each race with gratitude changed everything for Eric. Instead of dreading the challenge ahead, he celebrates the privilege of being healthy enough to run.

5. "You train for this. You were out on rainy days. You were out during the snow. You trained for this. And then you have to tell yourself, How are you gonna feel if you don't give it everything you have today? How are you gonna feel tomorrow?"

When things get tough in the final miles, Eric reminds himself of all the work he put in. This self-talk helps him push through when his body wants to quit.

Cheers,
Floris Gierman
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